AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Henry grinds his teeth. “Hopefully, they’re dead.” I flinch at the harsh words. “But I’m sure at least some of them will survive the battle. They are resilient.” He sighs. “However, if at least some of them are out of the way, it will be easier to get to the others in the future.”
My soul fills with dread. Without Henry and his vampires, my guys were so outnumbered. They’re strong, maybe the strongest clan in the city, but could they possibly defeat so many trained fighters?
I reach within myself, to that place in my heart where I can feel Charlie. His feelings come through loud and clear. They’re devastated, and panicked, but they’re there. At least he’s still alive. I send him waves of reassurance, and his feelings burst into a chaotic mess of hope, excitement, relief, and determination. I guess he couldn’t feel me when I was unconscious. Now he knows I’m alive. Hopefully he can feel that I’m safe. Well, physically anyway. Henry won’t hurt me. But if the bastard binds me to him with mythic magic, he’ll have complete control over me, and who knows what will happen then.
I don’t think Rook is dead, either. I can’t feel him the same way I can feel Charlie, but I’d know it if he died. I’d be missing half my soul. Rook described it as being gutted or torn in half. And when Rook nearly died in the club, my soul hurt. I feel fine right now. I still feel complete.
That’s two of my men. All I can do is pray the others are safe, too. It would kill me to lose any of them. My voice trembles with fear and rage when I say, “If even one of those men dies, I will never forgive you.”
Henry gives me a long look, considering my words, and eventually shakes off my threat. “Doesn’t matter. I will take you however I can get you.”
He’s such an arrogant asshole. “You can’t have me, Henry.”
His eyes glow a faint red as he battles his anger. “Ialreadyhave you, Nora. And after I fix you, I will make you love me. I didn’t want to have to compel you, but you’ve left me no choice.”
Neither me nor my siren likes the sound of that. The dark creature in me stirs, and this time I welcome her. She could free us, save us from Henry once and for all. The more she rises up, the more she starts to take over my mind. Her thoughts and desires become my own. We want Henry. We want to suck his very soul out of him and devour it while he screams. We want to make him pay for every wrong he’s ever committed.
She presses against me, trying to get out, but Parker’s compulsion stops her. I try to let her out, but it’s no good. My entire body starts to shake with how hard I try to break the compulsion. My breathing becomes labored, and a sheen of sweat breaks out on my forehead.
Henry smirks at me. “I can see what you’re trying to do. You had Parker compel you not to use your song, didn’t you?”
I’m lost to my siren now, and the only answer I can give him is a hiss.
He chuckles. “I knew you would. I knew you would never let me touch you, but if I planted the idea in your mind, you’d run straight to Parker. You’re too good, Nora. I am glad to see that it worked, though. That will make all of this a lot easier.”
“You son of a bitch!” I lunge for Henry through the bars but immediately pull back when the bars burn me. The pain brings me back to myself, breaking my siren’s hold on my mind. “Shit! Damn it, that burns!”
Henry sighs. “Do be a good girl, Nora. I hate to see you injured.”
“You could just let me out,” I spit.
“In good time.” He turns to the sorcerer. “Are you ready, James?”
“If you are.”
“Yes. Now that Nora is awake, we can get started.”
James, the sorcerer helping Henry, takes a pack off his back. He pulls out a small cauldron, some clear plastic tubing, and what looks like a needle or a syringe. Behind him, an entire army of vampires slinks out of the dark corners of the church. I’ve never seen so many. “Is this your entire clan?” I ask.
Henry pulls his shoulders back. “Mostly. Only a few stayed behind for security purposes, but they all wanted to be present for the mating ceremony, which will take place after we break your curse.”
Wait. What? I pull my gaze from the vampires—there must be a couple hundred of them—and gape at Henry. “Break my curse? I thought you planned to bind me to you.”
“I do,” Henry says. “But first we must stop you from turning dark.”
At my shock, he gives me a rueful look. “I visited the mermaid after you killed Devon Mitchell, Nora. I know what fate lies ahead of you. I do not want you to lose yourself to darkness any more than you do. But there is a way, an ancient spell that will turn darkness to light. That is what I am doing here. I am saving you, my love. Then I will bind you to me, and we can be together for eternity.”
My stomach churns, and panic claws up my throat when he turns to the sorcerer and says, “Start with the dragon.”
“What?” I shout. “What are you going to do? Don’t hurt him!”
Both men ignore me. The sorcerer moves to Nick’s cage and steps inside. He gives Nick a slap that has me growling. I’m going to kill him right after I kill Henry.
“Wake up,” the man says, lightly kicking Nick.
Nick groans, and the man crouches down. “Mr. Gorgeous,” the sorcerer says, suddenly sounding nice. “Can you hear me? I need some of your blood. I need it to save Nora. You know Nora, right? Your partner? She needs you. Will you give me some of your blood to save her?”
“What’s he doing?” I ask, shocked to hear him sound so caring.
